Veri eyed the shimmering shield that separated them from the rest of the universe. There wasn’t a gate for a few light-cycles in either direction. How did Adelina plan to get them through?

If she managed it though, it would keep their movements from possible Neprijat scouts.

“Where is she?” Asher muttered beside her.

The bridge was silent as everyone manned their posts – the captain waiting for Asher’s next command.

Veri double checked the coordinates on Asher’s console to be sure. They were definitely in the right place.

“Incoming transmission,” the lieutenant in charge of communications announced.

“Put it on the viewer,” Asher ordered.

Veri shifted, pulling at the neck of her armor. It was all she wore now, or light and loose pants and shirts so she could easily put on the armor whenever necessary. The Neprijat had kept her on her toes long enough she refused to be unprepared.

Adelina’s image appeared. She smiled slightly at Asher, and then Veri.

The difference in the female was shocking.

It wasn’t simply the crown on her head, or the black gown she wore with lace sleeves that went down to her wrists. Jewels glittered at her throat and ears as they always had.

The new golden mark on her forehead struck Veri’s every instinct though.

But even that wasn’t what made Adelina so different.

It was the way she held herself. How her chin was lifted and gaze forward rather than down as it had been most of her life. Adelina was confident—dominant now.

Veri grinned.

“I’m glad you made it safely,” the queen said.

“We ran into a few small patrols, but nothing we couldn’t handle,” the Hand replied. “How shall we proceed?”

Adelina glanced at someone Veri couldn’t see from this angle. “Prince Ian gave me the key when he first arrived and I’ve had programmers working on this since. Apparently Giselle had put him in charge of the shields before she abdicated.”

Asher and Veri shared a look. The blatant use of Ian’s title and the lack of Giselle’s was clear. The eldest royal sister was princess in name only. Adelina had purposefully left out her rank to indicate Ian’s was higher.

If Adelina died Giselle could never re-inherit the throne, even if she was the only living royal left. It would still go to the cousins, and then any future offspring created from the eggs saved in the Draga Royal Palace. Under the queen mother’s supervision of course.

Or so the royal decree that Asher had drafted stated and she’d snooped on. All it needed was Adelina’s seal.

Veri relished the ruthless qualities she’d always known Adelina had possessed – that had been in Asher from the very beginning. The royals were a breed apart.

The Game of the Wolf had confirmed Veri’s original suspicions about the shy princess. And enough time had gone by Adelina had embraced those vicious qualities. That was what would get them through this war and on the other side alive.

The real Queen of Draga.

Adelina took out a shreve and placed the seal on her palm on the surface. Then she tapped a few commands. A moment later the shield parted. “Come through and quickly. It will only hold its shape for a quarter of an hour before the strain will collapse the entire thing.”

Asher wasted no time getting the Draga Royal Army and the entire fleet through that shield to join the fleet Adelina had cobbled together on the other side. The sight of the Jasmine, the Wolf, and the Rose had Veri blinking back tears.

She’d had real doubts they’d ever get to this point. There had been moments she’d thought all was lost – so many times. And yet, here they were.

“I will see you soon, brother,” Adelina said with a smile, handing her shreve to someone off screen.

Then the transmission cut out and Veri tugged on her blue ponytail as she considered everything she wanted to speak to the queen about. How would she manage it with so much going on?

Then Veri saw the other ships.

Some were golden and beautiful in designs she’d never seen before. Those were clearly Drakesthai. They had wings after all, or something that reminded her of them. A few other plain, yet functional starships Veri assumed were the Unchanged’s and she couldn’t wait to meet the legends themselves.

But that wasn’t all.

There were Neprijat fighters, warships…as far as the eye could see and glittering in the dim light from two suns far from the center of both systems. And based on what Adelina had mentioned in the recording Delphine had dropped off, this was only a fraction of the ships they’d captured. Most had gone off with the Warrior Princess of Khara. Along with the small armada of pirates led by Captain Delphine. Or would it be Commodore Delphine now?

Either way…

Holy balls.

Veri couldn’t help her laugh.

So many had doubted the princess’s mission would have any real value in this war. Adelina had not only succeeded in her mission – she’d excelled.

“It’s impressive,” Asher admitted, knowing her thoughts as he always did. “If someone had told me this is what would happen three months ago I would have laughed myself sick. And now…I never should have doubted her.”

“She’s a master,” Veri murmured. “Everyone doubted. All but those she wished to see the truth. If she had failed…no one would care. That level of manipulation is impressive. Not just this,” she said, sweeping her arm to indicate Adelina’s hodge-podge fleet.

“It still boggles my mind,” Asher admitted. “But even she had no idea what she was truly capable of. That makes me feel less like an ass.”

Veri snorted. “We all have our own problems. It’s easy to forget about what isn’t currently demanding our attention.”

Then they were through the shield, with the rest of the fleet following behind. They pulled up alongside the Jasmine.

Veri eyed the planet in the distance and the outpost.

She had so many questions.

Mostly how. How had Adelina managed to get so many people to agree to work with her, to form alliances? Veri wished she had that kind of charisma but she never had. People obeyed her because she had the dominance to force them, but didn’t. And then she worked just as hard as anyone else.

“Hard seal to the Jasmine in three, two…” The captains of both ships worked together to make sure there wasn’t an accident. A jolt and a hiss and they were connected. The Royal Rosanera now orbited around the outpost with Adelina’s flagship.

“Let’s go,” Asher said, sending a quick message off to the Alora, the warship Prince William was stationed on. “William will meet us in fifteen minutes.”

Veri followed her prince without question as they walked toward the lift that would take them down to the main hangar. The seal was on the same floor, conveniently placed. As the lift went down she wiped her hands on her spidersilk armor and tried not to think about the fact that she’d be meeting one of the Drakesthai.

The dragons had been a horror story her mother had told her to get her to obey. And now she was about to be face to face with one, and eventually fighting alongside them. Not only that, a Drakesthai prince would be her queen’s husband.

Asher took her hand in his and squeezed. His own palms were sweaty and Veri took comfort in the fact that her fearsome dark prince was just as nervous as she was.

It was one thing to receive orders over a cast, transmission, or recording. It was another thing entirely to see the quiet female they’d known as shy and submissive as the queen she was now. Months had gone by since they’d seen Adelina.

Veri had no idea what to expect when they met again in person.

They reached the hangar floor and stepped out of the lift together. More of their crew was out and about than was normal, no doubt to try and get a glimpse of their new queen. But they didn’t have time for Adelina to greet everyone personally.

If the intel about the approaching horde was correct, they had to take Khara – and fast. They couldn’t allow the horde and the Neprijat king’s armies occupying the Khara System to join.

Even separated, Veri wasn’t sure how they’d be able to win against them. They were at such a disadvantage. The results of the last battle had made that extremely clear.

The airlock that was sealed to the Jasmine seemed to loom before them. One of the crew members opened the door to the hall. At the other end was another door. Asher stepped over the raised portion and held out his hand to assist Veri over it. Somehow he made her feel gorgeous even in her armor.

Then they were walking down the narrow hall and the Jasmine’s airlock door swung inward.

Adelina was on the other side, peering down the hall – less regal now that she wasn’t on a transmission where everyone could see and hear her. And then those light amethyst eyes met her brother’s. “Asher?”

“Lina,” Asher breathed.

And for the first time Veri wondered if her fiancé had doubted if they’d ever see each other again. Not simply because of the danger they had been in, but the battles Adelina herself had been a part of.

Asher strode through the rest of the hall and the moment he was on the other side of that door he grabbed his sister and wrapped her in a bear hug. Veri’s throat closed with emotion at the sight.

“I’m so happy to see you,” Adelina said, her words muffled against Asher’s nicest blazer. “I’m also relieved you managed to arrive without further incident.” Then she took a step back to inspect Asher from head to toe. “William?”

“Already on his way,” Asher told her, inspecting his sister with the same level of intense scrutiny as she. “I didn’t call for Giselle. I wanted you to make that decision.”

Adelina grinned at that. Then she turned to Veri while Asher greeted the king consort. Veri couldn’t help but look for the other consorts that were suspiciously missing.

“Lady Veri, you are a sight for sore eyes.”

The queen was speaking to her, but Veri wasn’t having it. “We can deal with protocol and rank later. I want to greet my friend.” And without waiting for approval Veri hugged Adelina hard, relief washing through her. Adelina really was all right despite everything that had happened since they’d seen each other last.

They’d never been as close as Adelina and Nadyah, but Veri still felt that pull towards the female – her soul recognized Adelina’s. It was like looking in a mirror. Perhaps she might have ended up much like her had she been sheltered her entire life.

So it had been easy for her to see the yearning in Adelina’s eyes. And now…the female was comfortable in her skin. She’d flowered into who she was always meant to be.

And Veri hoped that they would win, because since that first real talk in the forest she’d wanted to become closer with Adelina.

When she pulled back, Veri noticed the sheen of tears in Adelina’s eyes before she blinked them away. “I’ve missed you as well,” Adelina admitted. “I need more females in my life. The males can be so…difficult.”

Varan rolled his eyes.

Veri snorted and linked her arm through Adelina’s. “There is much to discuss, but I wanted to say congratulations before everything else was dumped on us. You proved everyone wrong and that’s something to be proud of. I knew you could do it.”

The blush on the young queen’s face was adorable. Veri looked up to see Asher watching them with a level of tenderness he rarely showed.

Yes, there would always be the difference in their rank. Veri would always be one of Adelina’s subjects. But there was so much more. They were friends and someday Adelina would be her sister as well. She couldn’t wait to tell her.

“Where are your other males?” Veri asked, barely able to hide her curiosity.

Adelina smirked. “I assumed that would be one of your first questions.” The queen then turned to a servant Veri hadn’t even noticed until that moment. “Please direct William to the solar when he arrives.”

“What plans do you have for us, Lina?” Asher asked, falling into step behind them, Varan at his side.

The thief gave Veri a lopsided grin, hands clasped behind his back as he walked with that insufferable swagger that somehow made him all the more attractive. Veri gave him a wink – after all the thief was soon to be her brother by marriage.

“First I want to catch up with my brothers and my friend,” Adelina said. “Then I have a meeting with my Hand and my…advisor? Everything will be revealed then. There are delicate matters I need to discuss with you both.”

Adelina led them through the ship with effortless grace and Veri smiled to herself. There was a lot she was giving up for Asher, but the life and family she would gain would be rich and fulfilling.

Alock would always be her baby brother. And she would always love him more than life itself. But he was an adult now. He needed to live his life without her shadow hanging over him.

Somehow Adelina already knew the plans Asher had for her as advisor, and Veri was relieved this was all going smoothly so far. After everything…Veri had needed this easy acceptance.

They wove their way through the Jasmine. The starship that wasn’t much different than the Rosanera except in overall size. Crew stopped to bow to Adelina and then Asher. All of them seemed pleased to see the dark prince. So much different than the crew aboard the royal ships. This felt more…relaxed, despite it being the queen’s own flagship by default. Per rank she should take the Rosanera, but Veri doubted she would. Adelina wasn’t like that.

A few moments of companionable silence later and Adelina led them into a solar that was much like the Queen’s Solar in the Draga Royal Palace. The most obvious differences were she allowed men to enter, and rather than the view of the lovely palace grounds endless space was before them. That glorious planet, Vudu Shaa, seemed to glow. Otherwise the solar was built much the same as the one in the Royal Palace.

Veri felt out of place in her armor, wishing she’d worn a gown instead. But she sat on the velvet couch next to Adelina as delicately as if she had she worn a dress. It wasn’t like she had a choice after all. The female practically dragged her down with her with surprising strength. Far stronger than Veri had given her credit for.

“So is it true,” Veri asked. “Did you really ask Nash to challenge you?”

Adelina smiled and sat back against the couch, her arm propped up and fingers trailing in her hair like they truly were there to relax for a minute instead of discussing the ever present war.

“I’m not quite sure how that got out, but yes I did. He declined.”

Veri smirked, wishing she’d been there to see whatever tussle that had no doubt occurred when Nash had confronted Varan. Then the smile slowly left her face as the armada came into view again, reminding her why they were there.

“Asher has put me in charge of what we do with the Neprijat,” Veri confessed.

They were supposed to be catching up and chatting, but Veri couldn’t ignore the issue. She wasn’t sure when she’d be able to bring it up if she didn’t do it right then.

Everyone stilled at the statement. Except Adelina, who simply reached for the steaming pot of tea. “Oh?” she asked, pouring four cups.

Veri passed out the cups, taking over the task. She was flustered to have the queen serving them. “Prisoners of war can be a messy matter,” Veri murmured. “I do not wish to see them suffer if we can help it.”

Adelina sat back against the couch, accepting the cup from Veri. Then she flicked a look at Varan. “By suffer I assume you mean if we win and decide to wipe them out, or keep them in camps, torture them, perhaps enslave them as our ancestors would have done?”

She nodded, wincing as the list felt endless. The worst part was Veri knew there was so much more that could be added.

“Well, I suppose this is a good time to bring up my sensitive matter.” Adelina tapped her simulcast and the door to the solar opened and closed with a shushing sound, multiple pairs of footsteps catching Veri’s sensitive ears.

She turned, hoping to see the Drakesthai male she’d heard so much about.

The warrior prince was a sight to see. Her mouth dropped open as she took in how large he was. Even though he was the same size as Prince Nash, Veri felt like he was bigger due to the wings. They were black and massive. Deadly talons rose over his shoulders, and the bottoms nearly touched the floor.

Instantly she stood and bowed to Prince Kaiden, and then Prince Nash before sitting as close to Asher as she could to give the queen space – and see them better.

Her fiancé was just as stunned, but his eyes were transfixed on the male between Nash and Kaiden, wearing the same spidersilk armor the infantry wore, helmet activated which was strange.

The grip on his arms was tight enough to break a lesser male’s bones.

“Who’s this?” Asher demanded.

Veri shot him a look, but he’d always been this way – argumentative and challenging. This was simply…new and she wished he’d relax for just a moment.

They were all still trying to find their place among the new court that had formed around Adelina. It was the first time since Giselle’s abdication the Queen of Draga and the Hand of the Queen were even physically in the same room.

Varan was no longer prince consort but king consort.

And she…Veri was going to abdicate her own rule as Marquess of Priea to her brother so she could serve as one of Adelina’s advisors, and Asher’s, in the Draga Royal Palace.

Then there were these two other males – effectively solidifying an alliance with two other kingdoms through marriage in a way no Queen had done before. It wasn’t unusual for kings to have multiple wives; Veri knew that from her history lessons.

But Adelina hadn’t asked permission. She had simply taken what she wanted.

Whatever this other male was doing here, Veri knew it would serve a purpose.

“The door is locked,” Prince Nash stated. “And the room has been sealed and protected against any spy tech.”

Veri shifted, trying not to wonder what in the bloody hells was going on.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Kaiden said, eyes on Asher. “I would greet you properly, but I’m a bit busy.”

Varan chuckled like there was some joke no one else had heard.

Nash tapped the gauntlet on the stranger’s arm, and just before it deactivated she heard him mutter, “Don’t make me regret this.”

When the helmet was pulled back into the armor Veri had to blink before she could fully comprehend what she was seeing. By that time Asher had already jumped to his feet, pistol out as he stepped in front of her.

Varan stood and snatched the pistol from Asher so fast Veri hadn’t even realized he’d moved.

She just wanted to tell everyone to stop for a moment so she could figure out what the hells was going on and how she felt about it.

Because Adelina wouldn’t have brought a bloody Neprijat into the solar without good reason.

“He’s on our side, mate,” Varan told Asher with a pointed look at the couch.

Asher didn’t move until she tugged on his hand, and Veri winced when he glared at her. For a split second she felt like she’d betrayed him, but this was so much bigger than the two of them at the moment.

“Just listen to what they have to say,” she whispered.

“That is our enemy,” Asher spat, pointing at the Neprijat who strangely kept his eyes to the floor.

“So it is.” She’d never seen one act quite so…passive before. “I want to know more.”

Asher gritted his teeth so hard she feared he might shatter them, but he sat.

Adelina didn’t move but her entire body seemed to relax ever so slightly. “This is Sozav,” she said. “Varan found him in a supposedly abandoned Neprijat factory. We eradicated the threat, but my husband had the good sense to question why they’d hidden a Neprijat factory, including weapons and supplies, from their own people.”

Then Sozav looked up and his gaze went straight to her.

Asher stiffened beside her but didn’t make a move to protect her. He knew Veri was more than capable of taking care of herself.

“The Huntress,” Sozav said. “We’ve heard of you.”

Veri didn’t dare blink. Her instincts didn’t scream ‘predator’ as they had when she’d fought multiple warriors on the battlefield. But he was still dangerous. “And how, pray tell, have you managed to hear of me?”

Only those on Priea called her the huntress, at least until Asher had taken it up after she’d been crowned Queen of the Hunt.

She cocked her head to the side and considered this warrior who didn’t strain at the restriction two enemy males provided. He didn’t reach for their weapons which were easily within his grasp, and he didn’t seem like he was going to try and kill them all either.

At least not at the moment.

“You would be worshipped among my people,” Sozav said, dropping his eyes to the floor once more.

Adelina shrugged a shoulder delicately and sipped at her tea. “He does not mean the Neprijat as a whole, or their king. He means the ones who honor their old ways.”

Asher started at that. “Tell me everything,” he demanded. “And before William gets here.”

So Varan stood and clasped his hands behind his back and began to explain everything he’d learned since they’d taken Sozav.

All Veri could think of when she looked at her enemy were the males who’d said the same thing to her.

She would be worshipped.

Because she was a strong female – a warrior. But also because they recognized something in her. They revered hunting and she’d been doing it all her life. How could they possibly sense that?

Then Varan explained what animal the Neprijat had chosen to splice their DNA with. The king consort had even prepped vid footage of what a great white shark was and what its skills were.

One of those predators could sense their prey from kilometers away.

Adelina looked to Veri and the hunt came to mind. How Veri had been trained to listen for prey, sense where it was headed, follow its tracks. It wasn’t in her DNA as it was the Neprijat’s. Not in the same way, but the wolves were excellent hunters as well.

Like called to like.

“It’s how they knew where I was in Kaiden’s floating palace,” Adelina murmured, brushing invisible dust from her skirts as she took another sip of tea. “I was in a dark wing and saw the Neprijat arrive. I was inside a building and they had to be at least three or four kilometers away, maybe more. But one of the Neprijat warriors turned to me and looked right at me, as if he knew exactly where I was.”

The story sent chills down Veri’s spine.

Then a thought occurred to her. “Do you swim?” she asked Sozav. “Like the sharks did?”

The Neprijat shrugged. “Better than any other human factions I assume. We can hold our breath for two hours if need be, but I wouldn’t say any of us wants to live in the water. Do you want to live in the forest in nothing but your skin eating rabbits raw, fur and all?”

Veri couldn’t help her smirk. The male was amusing at the very least. “Sometimes,” she admitted.

Sozav chuckled, showing off his sharp teeth.

But Asher didn’t tense this time, he simply looked contemplative. “So there are entire factions of the Neprijat who want to go back to their old ways? And we’re going to accept their help?”

Adelina didn’t look away from Veri when she replied. “We cannot afford to decline their offer. We simply have to hope that our instincts are right and they aren’t all monsters – that they won’t betray us. Because…I would very much like to trust him.”

The queen wasn’t speaking to Asher at all. Veri knew—if Adelina could convince her, then Veri would convince Asher.

Crafty.

And if she were honest with herself, Veri wanted to trust him as well. Never had she seen a Neprijat so calm and docile before.

“Why aren’t you trying to slit your own throat?” Veri asked. “I’ve tried to capture dozens of your kind. At the very least you should be trying to kill Nash and Kaiden.”

Neither of the consorts released their hold on the Neprijat, but Veri had a sneaking suspicion they could let go and still Sozav would remain still and well behaved.

“It has been a long time since I’ve been in a room with a strong female presence. It has helped settle much of my volatile nature. And now you’re here as well.”

It wasn’t the whole truth though. She tilted her head in the other direction, studying those black eyes that held real emotion for the first time since she’d seen one up close. Human emotion. Veri waited patiently for the rest of his answer.

Sozav huffed, but his lips twitched like he was trying to hide a smile. “I also am under the impression that my queen will not send me back to the Neprijat king. I have no reason to believe otherwise as she has always kept her word to her people. And as such I have no reason to end my own life. Not when all my hopes and dreams are on the cusp of finally coming true.”

And there, light blazing in those black depths.

Sozav was speaking the truth.

Veri nodded then and looked back at her queen. “I think we should trust him.”

The Goddess help her, but that was no monster before her. That was a brother – all of them born of the same race long ago. And Veri would never be able to live with herself if she didn’t take this opportunity – if she let doubt and fear ruin any chance for their survival.

She smiled wide at Asher. Now it was time to do the job the queen had silently ordered her to do. “My love, don’t you agree?”